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Onyeama Calls For Stronger India-Nigeria Ties
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has called for stronger ties between Nigeria and India.
This was even as Onyeama said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a “game-changer” that is going to be the largest free trade area in the world.
Onyeama made the call during the 7th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi India where he took part in two-panel discussions with the themes “Out of Africa: Leading on Trade and Economic Integration,” and “Building the Gates of Globalisation: Investment, Infrastructure and Taboos.”
During the panel discussion, Onyeama spoke about the various partnerships for infrastructural development such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and other initiatives with India, the European Union, and other African countries, all of which he said, contribute enormously towards development.
On the sidelines of the 7th Raisina Dialogue which had more than 200 speakers from 90 countries in attendance, Onyeama met separately with his host, the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and colleagues from Slovenia and the Philippines to discuss bilateral relations between Nigeria and the different countries.
While in India, Onyeama visited one of India’s largest steel and power plants, addressed and inaugurated the Nigeria-India Business Council with impressive attendance by Indian captains of Industry and interacted with 30 invited African Ambassadors and members of the Nigerian community, including students.
Onyeama further said the AfCFTA will make doing business much easier for countries with seamless access to 54 markets which is a huge advantage.
He said: “Why I say AfCTA is going to be a game-changer is because it will make it easier for our political leaders and Africans to reach out to other African countries. So, what will come as a result or consequences will be infrastructure – the trans-Saharan highway and continental highway across Africa, promoting connectivity and doing business. That will be the natural result of pulling down all the barriers that are preventing this connectivity within the continent.”
Onyeama spoke on the role of Africa in the upcoming world in terms of trade and cooperation and partnerships, especially with Africa’s Asian partners and India as a special partner.
The minister, while sharing his thoughts on how India and Africa can work together to foster further connectivity and commerce, noted that Nigeria and India have had a long history of very close cooperation and people-to-people relations with generations of Indian families living in Nigeria, Nigerian students in India and in the military establishments.
“We know ourselves very well and of course, now in a globalised world, there is a lot more we can do. India has a comparative advantage in the health sector. We saw the role India played in the COVID outbreak. India has a very strong pharmaceutical sector. So, the health field is an area we can do a lot with India. And we’ve seen the ICT miracle that is in Bangalore. Also, the technology capacity of India is another area that we can cooperate in. Nigeria has a very youthful population that is also getting into ICT and extremely dynamic and the partnership with India could absolutely be a game-changer for us.”
Speaking further, Onyeama noted that India is the second-largest producer of steel in the world, saying “We want to industrialise.”
According to Onyeama, “We have had challenges with developing our steel industry in Nigeria. So, that’s another area we can do a lot with India. We have a framework already, although it’s a continental framework of the India-Africa Summit and clearly, we are looking at developing a more precise roadmap that responds to the priorities and needs of our country. We can also look at other areas such as the culture industries. You have Bollywood and we have Nollywood, so there is a great deal we can do together.”
On post-COVID and in the context of Africans’ entry into the global value chain, Onyeama said: “We want to diversify not just our production, but also our partners. Where value chains are concerned, it has always been targeted toward the western countries. But clearly, Asia is a lot more prominent in our engagement and notwithstanding the global challenges of today, we are moving more and more, increasing our partnership with Asia and of course, India is a big part of that as is China and one or two other countries. So, notwithstanding, whatever else is happening globally, we intend to prioritise and push on.”
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.